British Airways to expand UK-India connectivity during landmark trade mission

LONDON: British Airways has reaffirmed its ambition for network growth in India, as the airline facilitated a major UK Government trade mission led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer to the country, the airline stated in an official announcement.

British Airways underlined its ambition to expand flights to India during the UK Government’s landmark ‘Britain Means Business’ trade mission led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The airline will introduce a third daily flight between London Heathrow and Delhi in 2026, subject to regulatory and capacity approval.

The popular First cabin will return on flights from London to Mumbai this month, with the latest business class Club Suite on select flights across all five Indian routes by the end of 2026.

According to the statement, the airline will look for further growth opportunities in the country as trade between the UK and India increases. Around 130 top UK CEOs and senior government ministers flew out to the country on a chartered British Airways flight on Tuesday as part of a trade mission designed to boost trade links and business between the two countries.

The trip to Mumbai follows the signing of a Free Trade Agreement between Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, in July.

Sean Doyle, Chairman and Chief Executive of British Airways, said: “I am delighted to take part in this important trade mission. Our ties with India were established over 100 years ago and today we have around 2,500 British Airways colleagues based there. We’ve been steadily increasing capacity between the UK and India over the years and we’re now operating 56 direct services to five Indian cities each week.

“The Free Trade Agreement with India will boost economic momentum between our two countries and British Airways really sits at the centre of that activity, acting as an enabler for increased trade. We will develop our own network alongside increased economic activity so the FTA for our business is very good news.

“As the airline that offers the biggest network of any European carrier into the North Atlantic, we also help connect India to the US and beyond, so when you add this factor into the mix, there’s a lot to be excited about for our two connected economies,” Doyle said in the statement.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “British Airways has been connecting the United Kingdom with India for more than a century, a symbol of the enduring partnership, and deep cultural and economic ties between our two nations.

“As our landmark trade deal paves the way for new opportunities for businesses, our national flag carrier will play a critical role in strengthening trade links with India, boosting UK growth and helping deliver on our Plan for Change,” Starmer added, according to the statement.

British Airways has been flying to India for more than 100 years and this month celebrates 20 years of flying to Bangalore. In addition to the third daily flight between London Heathrow and Delhi, the popular First cabin will return on flights to Mumbai this month, with the latest business class Club Suite on select flights across all five Indian routes by the end of 2026.

The added frequency will give customers travelling to India more choice and flexibility, whether they’re visiting loved ones, discovering a new city, or travelling for work.

British Airways has also rolled out a brand-new Meet and Assist service, available free of charge to customers who require additional support when travelling from India to the UK, to help make travel less stressful.

The service has been used by around 5,500 customers since its launch in March. It is available across all five Indian airports that the airline operates from, and colleagues fluent in local languages such as Hindi, Punjabi, Telugu and Tamil have undertaken dedicated training to deliver this proposition.

The airline continues to invest in its overall customer experience and has already rolled out over 900 initiatives as part of its £7 billion transformation plan. These initiatives include brand-new short-haul seats and free Wi-Fi messaging on board, as well as the refreshing of lounges across its global network, the statement added. (ANI)